Brooks Ravenna 9

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By Jessica Brown

All Brooks Shoes

Brooks Ravenna 9 Review Facts

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The Brooks Ravenna 9’s are the newest in the Ravenna line of running shoes. The new and improved version features a more lightweight design with greater flexibility and much better support. These shoes have a new midsole that offers a much more responsive ride, yielding a super high energy return with each step helping you run faster and longer. You will get amazing support with these shoes, as they have a DBR (diagonal roll bar) built in that will help the overpronators and supinators out there and runners with flat arches who need a little more support. Customers love the update to the look of the Brooks Ravenna 9 as they said the style is much better than their predecessor, and you get some fun color options to choose from with this version. Whether you are looking for something to wear as an everyday casual shoe, to hit the gym, or wear on race day, you can count on these shoes to look good and keep your feet happy. If you are looking for a relatively affordable pair of running shoes that will help you run faster and provide you with greater support then you have come to the right place.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Offers you wonderful arch support
Relatively lightweight
Supportive for overpronators and supinators
Comfortable right out of the box, no need to break in
Offers a super high energy return
Great stability

Cons

Shoes run narrow
Tight toe-box

Outsole

The outsole of the Brooks Ravenna 9 uses a mix between blown rubber and Brook's unique HPR Plus which is made out of a more durable rubber. The blown rubber part of the outsole is at the forefront of the shoe to give them better responsiveness and greater flexibility. The HPR Plus rubber is located more towards the heel of the shoe and gives you a great amount of traction while running on various surfaces. The rubber of the outsole is divided up into many segments to give you more traction and superior grip.

Midsole

The midsole of the Brooks Ravenna 9 is made out of a combination of BioMoGo materials and DNA. The DNA midsole is gel based and can adapt to any kind of force that is imposed on it. This basically means that the more force you put into the shoe the stiffer it will get. If you are a faster runner you will receive a high energy return and if you are a heavier runner you will have a firmer cushion. The DNA midsole is mixed with the BioMoGo compound, however, that gives it better and more adaptive cushioning for a more responsive ride and higher comfort level. These shoes also use a diagonal roll bar in the midsole to help move your feet toward a more natural motion and help to correct overpronation. Overall, these shoes have a fantastic midsole that customers can greatly appreciate.

Upper

The uppers of the Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes are made out of lightweight and breathable materials to give you a great fit and a high level of airflow. The upper also features a lining that is made to help keep your feet dry. The seamless mesh that makes up the upper in the forefront of the shoe is an improvement of the past iterations to give you a tighter more shallow fit.

Weight

The Brooks Ravenna 9 is considered a lightweight running shoe, and even though they are rather light when compared to other shoes, reviewers would put this at a more moderate weight. That being said, this version of the Ravenna weighs significantly less than their predecessor. The 9's weight in, on average, at 9.4 ounces for a men's size 9. When purchasing shoes for long-distance running and races customers tend to prefer lighter shoes so they do not feel like they have weights on their feet to slow them down. These sneakers do fall under the 10-ounce mark so they are considered lightweight but they have more weight on them than some runners like.

Breathability

The Brooks Ravenna 9 shoes are amazingly breathable and customers really like that about them. The upper is made out of a light mesh material that offers superior ventilation to allow for a great deal of airflow to your feet. You do not want to be in the middle of a race or long run and have to worry about your feet overheating and becoming uncomfortable. You will not have to worry about that with these shoes. In addition to the great breathability, these come with a lining along the inside of the upper that helps control the moisture level in your shoes to make sure you are not only staying cool, but you are staying dry as well.

Comfort

The Brooks Ravenna 9's offer customers a great deal of comfort. The DNA and BioMoGo midsole works with the rubber of the outsole and the material and fit of the upper to make sure you have a wonderfully comfortable pair of shoes. You do not want to have to worry about your feet becoming uncomfortable while you are on the go. The DNA midsole bases its comfort level on the type of runner you are. If you run with a faster pace these shoes are going to feel more cushiony and give you a higher energy return. On the contrary, if you are a heavier and slower paced runner the shoes will feel stiffer and more firm under your feet.

Style

Customers tend to like the look and style of these shoes. When you are purchasing these shoes you will have a couple of color options to choose from which customers appreciate. If you are looking at the women's shoes you can choose between navy, blue, and green; ebony, diva pink, and white; black, blue, and pink; or punk, plum, and champagne. The men's version of these shoes allow you to choose between ebony, blue, and orange; blue, navy, and white; navy, white, and orange; or nightlife, blue, and black. In addition to the color choices, customers like the look of the Brooks Ravenna 9 far better than the previous version.

Durability

The Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes seem to last customers a while, as they are made to be super durable. The rubber outsole and DNA midsole work together to make sure these shoes can take the repeated pounding of each step you take, even on the longest and toughest of runs. You will not have to worry about the rubber of the outsole rubbing down and losing traction, or the midsole losing it's cushioning and therefore the energy return associated with it. The upper is even designed to last, with the forefront of the shoe made of seamless mesh which makes it stronger and more durable.

Protection

The Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes offer you some form of protection when you are running. They offer a midfoot saddle that is made out of reflective material that serves dual purposes. The reflective materials help to keep you safe and visible if you are running in low light areas and the saddle itself helps to keep your foot from sliding. In addition to the midfoot saddle, these shoes offer a heel counter and the lacing system to help lock your foot into place.

Responsiveness

Brooks can boast fantastic responsiveness when they are talking about these shoes. The midsole is made out of a mixture of DNA which is a gel-like midsole, mixed with their BioMoGo cushioning to give you great comfort and a high energy return. The gel-based DNA technology changes how it feels under your feet depending on the amount of force brought upon it. That basically means that if you are running for speed, at a faster pace, you are going to get a significantly higher energy return than if you are a heavier runner. The higher your energy return the less energy you are actually using to propel yourself into your next step. The less energy you use per step allows you to run faster and longer.

Support

The Brooks Ravenna 9 offers a decent amount of support for runners which they can appreciate. The midsole has a DRB (diagonal roll bar) integrated into it which helps control overpronation. If you are one of the thousands of runner who suffer from overpronation or supination when you are running then these shoes are going to be perfect for you and give you the support that you need.

Terrain

The Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes are designed to be a road running shoe which means they are made to be worn when running on flatter, non-abrasive surfaces. If you are training for races, running on the road or indoor or outdoor tracks, then these are going to be perfect for you. You will be just fine if you are planning on wearing these on a treadmill as well. It is not, however, recommended that you take these for a run off the beaten path.

Price

When it comes to running shoes the Brooks Ravenna 9 comes in about average when it comes to price. The MSRP, manufacturer's suggested retail price, of these road runners rings up at $110 which is not bad considering what these can offer you. Customers who have purchased them have commented that they were worth the money they paid for them and they would buy them in the future if the need arises.

Traction

The outsole of the Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes is made to give you excellent traction. The grippy rubber segments that cover the forefront of the shoe gives you great traction to help prevent you from slipping and sliding. If you are out on a run you do not want to have to worry about your shoes causing you to fall and you will not have to worry about that with the Ravenna 9.

Flexibility

The Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes are fairly flexible which customers love and appreciate. It is important to run in shoes that are going to allow you the freedom to move as naturally as possible while still offering you the protection and support that you need while you are on the go. The outsole features Omni Grooves which give you the ability to flex and bend the outsole of the shoe.

Stability

The Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes are considered a stability shoe. As mentioned before these shoes have a diagonal roll bar integrated into the midsole to give you better control for overpronation or supination. If you have the tendency to roll your feet either inwards or outwards while you are running then these shoes are going to help control that and possibly prevent or minimize injury and discomfort.

Drop

The drop of a shoe is simply the difference in the measurement of the forefront of your foot and the heel of your foot to the ground. In other words, it is the measurement of the incline of your shoes. Running shoes tend to have a drop of between 8 mm and 12 mm, with most of them running around 10 mm. The heel to toe drop of the Brooks Ravenna 9 running shoes falls at 10.8 mm, which is in the average range.

Key Features

-Midsole technologies give you super high energy return with each step
-Super comfortable
-The uppers are made out of lightweight and breathable materials
-A heel-to-toe drop of 10.8 mm
-Offers moderate flexibility
-Great stability

Bottom Line

Customers love the new and improved Ravenna. They really went all out when it comes to this ninth iteration. Unfortunately, customers have commented that they do run a little narrow so that is going to be something to keep in mind if you are going to be purchasing these. They are going to offer you superior support which is a huge advantage and one of the better qualities that customers love. The midsole is super comfortable and is designed to help fast and energized runners run even faster with the high energy return that is offered. These really are an all-around good pair of running shoes.